four additional courses, including one pre-1800 courses and one American course;

Independent Study can be pursued as part of the degree, pursuant to the following conditions:

Eligibility: In order to take an independent study course, the student must have: 1) Attained at least a 3.5 GPA in program coursework; 2) Taken at least one graduate course with the supervising faculty member; 3) Completed six graduate courses with all incompletes removed; 4) Taken at least one graduate course in the area of the proposed independent study.

Credit Limits:

Students can count a maximum of three credits of independent study toward the thirty credits (ten courses) required for the Master’s Degree.

Students are permitted to do an independent study related to the topic on which their thesis will be written. However, please note: an independent study cannot be conducted for credit the same semester as a student submits the thesis. The thesis is submitted in lieu of a second comprehensive exam. Therefore, students cannot receive simultaneous course credit for that work.

A completed independent study application is due to the Graduate Director no later than the second week of the semester in which the student plans to begin work.